Daniel Radcliffe’s role in one of the most successful film series ever made has turned him into a face recognized around the world, with his Harry Potter identity still attached to him 15 years after put down his wand and wizard’s robe.
Since his time at Hogwarts ended, Radcliffe has taken on a wide range of creative work, including acclaimed stage roles. Even so, there are moments when he’d likely prefer attention to land on achievements like his Tony-winning turn in Merrily We Roll Along, instead of the character he first played when he was 11.
At home, however, things are different. In New York, where he lives with partner Erin Darke and their son — who he has called ‘the literal best thing that ever happened [to me].’ — Radcliffe can avoid the constant requests for spells and trivia.
Speaking recently to the New York Times, the Escape from Pretoria actor explained that he’s trying to delay one particular discovery for as long as he can: letting his nearly three-year-old learn that his dad is famously known as ‘The Boy Who Lived’.
So far, Radcliffe and Darke have managed to keep the wizarding world from becoming a topic of conversation in their household. As Radcliffe put it: “Does my son know who Harry Potter is? No, not yet.”
That doesn’t mean the franchise is easy to sidestep entirely. Radcliffe told the paper about a moment when a Harry Potter DVD ended up in their home to be signed — a situation that could have unraveled their careful effort.
Instead, it became a kind of experiment. He recalled to the Times: “So it was sitting on our kitchen table for a couple of days, and at one point he was like next to it. And I was just like, ‘Who’s that?’
“I’d see if he recognized me on the cover. And he didn’t, which was great.”
While it may sound like a strategy for keeping his home life quieter and free of constant questions, Radcliffe said his motivation is much more personal. He wants his son’s view of him to stay simple for as long as it can.
“For as long as I can just be his dad and he won’t know me as anything else, I will maintain that for as long as I can,” he said, while acknowledging that JK Rowling’s world is likely to find its way to his son eventually as he grows older.
For now, the stories Radcliffe is sharing at home come from a different children’s classic — Dr. Seuss. Radcliffe said he enjoys ‘reading Dr. Seuss’ with his son, leaning into the author’s playful language and imagination.
He also revealed which book is at the top of his list, explaining: “My favorite overall is probably “One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish” because it’s the one where he clearly had a theme, an idea for a theme, and then he gives up on it on about Page 5.
“And just does the wildest, craziest stuff he can think of. And that’s fun.”